The invention includes embodiments that relate to a composition having a first hydrophobic moiety linked to a spacer, which is linked to a second hydrophobic moiety to form a Gemini surfactant. The invention includes embodiments that relate to method of making and using the Gemini surfactant composition.
Organosilicone compounds may be useful because of their unique wetting properties. These organosilicone compounds may provide surface tension values lower than other commonly used surfactants. A trisiloxane ethoxylate-based surfactant (TSE) may be one example of an organosilicone surfactant that may be used as agricultural adjuvants. These surfactants may have the property of “super-spreading” that is the ability of a drop of the mixture to spread to a diameter greater than a drop of distilled water on a hydrophobic surface.
TSE surfactants may have reduced super-spreading if the degree of ethoxylation exceeds about 12 EO units. TSE's containing the higher EO adducts may show spreading properties similar to conventional nonsilicone surfactants.
Conventional trisiloxane-based surfactants may have poor hydrolytic stability and may be easily hydrolyzed under acidic or basic conditions. Structural modifications to increase the hydrolytic stability of the trisiloxane-based surfactants may result in poor spreading properties. It may be desirable to have a hydrolytically stable surfactant that shows relatively improved super-spreading performance and adjuvant properties. It may be desirable to have a surfactant with properties other than those currently available for varied applications.